Frequently Asked Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When do I register?

     Priority registration for current and returning UNL students usually begins in October for the spring semester and in March for the fall and summer terms. Students should meet with their adviser at least two weeks before they register.

     Students actually register for the courses the adviser recommends on the MyRed registration system on their PRIORITY REGISTRATION DATE. Students can learn their priority registration date and learn if they have holds on their record on their MyRed account. We encourage students to check for holds several weeks before their priority registration date arrives as certain kinds of holds will prevent them from registering for classes.

     New students to UNL register via the New Student Enrollment (NSE) program rather than on a priority date as explained above. Students new to UNL should receive correspondence from the NSE office about registration dates.

How many courses should I take?

     Twelve semester credits is considered full-time on our campus. Students who want to attend college as a full-time student should register for a schedule of courses that totals 12-17 credits. Students who receive full-time student financial aid, who are an international student, who are a student athlete or who have scholarships that requirement enrollment as a full-time student must register for at least 12 semester credits.

What's a credit hour?

     Students earn credit when they complete courses. In general, one credit represents one hour of class time per week for a semester. For example, a 3 hour course means the student will attend the course for 3 hours of class/week during the semester. Most UNL bachelor degrees require 120 - 130 credits for completion. Students who successfully complete 15 credits per semester should earn 120 credits at the end of four years.

What does a normal course schedule look like?

For new students, a normal course load is usually four to five courses per semester. Following are examples of typical freshmen schedules:

How much do I need to study?

     College courses require much more study time than high school courses. In general, courses require three hours of homework/study time for every hour of class. A student who is registered for 15 credits should commit 60 hours of school time/week (45 hours of studying and 15 hours of class time). Students should approach their studies as if it were a job.  Studying on campus rather than at home can help students organize their study time.

     Students who have commitments outside the classroom (work, activities etc.) should plan effectively for these responsibilities. For example, we recommend students work a maximum of 10 hours/week. With a 60 hour course commitment, this means the student would experience a 70 hour week (60 for college and 10 for work).

If classes last an hour, how much time do I have to get to the next class?

     Actually, the University "hour" is usually 50 minutes. Students have10 minutes to get to the next class if they are taking courses one right after another. Some classes meet for longer than 50 minutes, especially labs. Some classes meet for two longer sessions each week. Other courses may meet only one time/week for a very long period. Students must read their schedule carefully.

     It is smart to note the location of the classes to make sure there is enough time to travel between classes. In most cases students should be able to travel from one end of campus to the other in 10 minutes. If students have classes on both the City Campus and the East Campus,they should plan at least 25 minutes between classes for travel.

How often do I register?

     Students register for classes on a semester-by-semester basis. There are two semesters in the academic year (fall and spring). We also offer a summer term that consists of several sessions (3-week, 8-week and 5-week sessions).

Can I take any courses listed in the Bulletin?

     No. The Bulletin lists all of the courses that are offered at UNL. Not every course is offered every semester. Students need to use the semester Schedule of Classes (view via the Class Search function on MyRed) to learn which courses are offered each semester.

Can I register for any course listed in the Class Search in MyRED?

     No. When students do a class search on MyRed they learn that some courses have class standing restrictions (e.g., "juniors and seniors only"), major restrictions (e.g., "PSYCHOLOGY majors only"), placement test requirements or prior course requirements (i.e., "prerequisites").

     Your adviser will help you identify courses for which you are eligible.

     Also, in general, first-year students take courses numbered in the 100s and 200s. Courses numbered in the 300s and 400s are usually for students with junior and senior status.

MyRed Won't Let Me Register for a Course

     Some courses and/or sections of courses require "Department Consent" for registration. If this occurs, contact the instructor to obtain the course number needed to register for the class.

How do I decide which courses to take?

     Short answer: Advisers will help you decide the most appropriate courses to enroll in each semester.

     Longer answer: Students should learn to use the bulletin to investigate majors and courses prior to meeting with their adviser. The Bulletin outlines major requirements and offers course descriptions and prerequisites and course sequences. Course sequencing is especially crucial in majors with long sequences, like science, engineering, and language majors.

     Students who are not sure about a major should explore their interests by taking a course or two in possible majors of interest. For example, students considering a science major should enroll in a math or an introductory science course.

     Besides major requirements, students must also meet general education requirements like English composition, writing courses, foreign language and the ACE – Achievement Centered Education requirements.

Will I need to take any placement tests?

     Math: Students who want to register for a 100-level math course numbered 100A to 106 must take the math placement exam.

     Foreign Language: Students only need to take a foreign language placement exam (test is for French, German and Spanish languages only) if they want to start the language sequence at or above the second level (102 level). Otherwise students can just register for the beginning class (101) without the exam.

     Note: The beginning courses in some languages are offered only in fall semesters.

I've heard that classes might "close". How can I get the courses I want?

     Sometimes students cannot register for the courses they want. Courses do fill and students who wait until the last minute to register may have difficulty enrolling in courses simply because they waited until the majority of students registered for courses. New freshmen students register through the New Student Enrollment program. Seat availability is monitored closely by this program. Thus space in the courses freshmen typically take in subjects like math, chemistry, English composition, and a variety of subjects such as history, politics, and psychology is usually available.

     Registration is a process. If students are not able to register for a course or a specific section of a course the first time they try to add courses to their schedule, they should log on to MyRed daily to search for an open seat. Students may also contact the instructor to learn if they may obtain an "override" to add a "closed class". Once students have obtained the signature from the instructor on the "Schedule Adjustment Form"  and have obtained the approval from their home advising unit (i.e. General Studies), they must submit the completed form to Registration and Records (Canfield 107) to actually add the course to their class schedule.

Do I have to pay tuition when I register for classes?

     Tuition is not due until after the semester starts. Once registered for courses students can review MyRed to learn the amount of tuition they will owe for the courses for which they registered.

To learn more about majors that match your interests, try the Power of Possibilities activity.